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Original poster

Hand, foot and mouth top tips!

9 replies

DancingtoDisney · 26/10/2025 09:54

After a hellish night and day yesterday, my 11 month old has woken up covered in rashes on knees, backs of knees, ankles, around her mouth and her nappy rash is horrific - she even has some spots on her scalp. Started yesterday with awful nappy rash and just progressively worsened. She's been miserable and is obviously in a lot of discomfort. After spending time on 111 and talking with the GP over the phone they reckon it's HFM (we weren't sure if chicken pox at first).

My DD2 seems to be experiencing a much worse case of it than my eldest DD did when she had it - any and all tips appreciated!! With my eldest is passed quickly and she was nowhere near as rashy as my youngest currently is 😔. She won't eat and only wants to be on the breast, just wondering what sorts of foods people managed to get down their little ones?

Also, any advice appreciated on how to prevent the whole house coming down with it 🙃!! On the one hand I'm relieved it's half term (I teach) so I won't need to take time off, but also I'm gutted as it's half term and was ready for a nice week particularly with my eldest who I worry has felt a little neglected on time with her Mum recently!! 😫🙈

The rollercoaster of parenting is a wild one! Thank you for any bits of advice from one very sleep deprived parent!

OP posts:
FedUpToddlerFTM · 26/10/2025 11:20

My son had it at 9 months and when he started feeling better, I came down with it. He had it really, really bad. He screamed in pain and slept 4 hours in 24 hours. We just had to hold him, give calpol, some cold compresses, he ate cold weetabix for 4 days. It was actually the worst 4 days of my life, he was in such pain. Took another week or 2 to clear entirely after the first 4 horrible days.

We saw a doctor and as long as baby is drinking water, they won't do anything. I don't think there is anything to do.

I caught it and can confirm it's the worst illness I have ever had. I couldn't walk, my feet were sore and burning at the same time. My toenails eventually fell off too (his didn't, thankfully). Plus a fever, a horrible snot, it's hellish.

Oh, and he caught it a second time too 6 months later but it was very, very mild. There are different strains so you can catch it multiple times.

Original poster
DancingtoDisney · 26/10/2025 13:47

FedUpToddlerFTM · 26/10/2025 11:20

My son had it at 9 months and when he started feeling better, I came down with it. He had it really, really bad. He screamed in pain and slept 4 hours in 24 hours. We just had to hold him, give calpol, some cold compresses, he ate cold weetabix for 4 days. It was actually the worst 4 days of my life, he was in such pain. Took another week or 2 to clear entirely after the first 4 horrible days.

We saw a doctor and as long as baby is drinking water, they won't do anything. I don't think there is anything to do.

I caught it and can confirm it's the worst illness I have ever had. I couldn't walk, my feet were sore and burning at the same time. My toenails eventually fell off too (his didn't, thankfully). Plus a fever, a horrible snot, it's hellish.

Oh, and he caught it a second time too 6 months later but it was very, very mild. There are different strains so you can catch it multiple times.

Oh wow, I REALLY don't want any of us getting it now!! This bout that my 11 month old has definitely has made me realise how easy we had it with my eldest! She caught it at 2.5 yrs too which made it easier to handle as she could tell us what hurt/helped. DD2 is so little still it feels awful! I fear we're in for a very rough few days at least, already on our knees with exhaustion. I just attempted her with some Weetabix and she gagged on it and then vomited it up 😫 think her mouth is very sore. It's just awful isn't it? Sent DH out with the four year old to replenish our Calpol and nurofen stock 🙃. Thank you for replying!

OP posts:
FedUpToddlerFTM · 26/10/2025 13:53

Cold water helped him a lot. I eventually managed to get some chicken stock soup in him as well (room temp). Other parents said their kids ate cold custard a lot (mine is allergic to dairy and eggs so couldn't try). Nutrition goes out the window, whatever he will eat (and especially drink) is fine. If he doesn't drink anything at all either then you need to go to A&E to hydrate him.

In terms of getting it, his dad and his nanny didn't get it, it's not super contagious. But I obviously had a lot more contact with him and I specifically remember him sneezing in my mouth in the middle of the night so....that was probably it 😂

Sorry that my first post was a bit negative, I found so many people had HFM very mild so I didn't have many people to commiserate with (although the other kids in his playgroup eventually all got it pretty bad too, it must have been a horrible strain).

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Original poster
DancingtoDisney · 26/10/2025 14:17

FedUpToddlerFTM · 26/10/2025 13:53

Cold water helped him a lot. I eventually managed to get some chicken stock soup in him as well (room temp). Other parents said their kids ate cold custard a lot (mine is allergic to dairy and eggs so couldn't try). Nutrition goes out the window, whatever he will eat (and especially drink) is fine. If he doesn't drink anything at all either then you need to go to A&E to hydrate him.

In terms of getting it, his dad and his nanny didn't get it, it's not super contagious. But I obviously had a lot more contact with him and I specifically remember him sneezing in my mouth in the middle of the night so....that was probably it 😂

Sorry that my first post was a bit negative, I found so many people had HFM very mild so I didn't have many people to commiserate with (although the other kids in his playgroup eventually all got it pretty bad too, it must have been a horrible strain).

Oh don't worry at all, it's looking like we're going to have a similar strain with my little one 😫. I wish the doctors could give something. Ooh custard is a great one, hadn't thought of that! Yes I think it'll be me and my eldest who stand the biggest chance of catching it! Keeping everything crossed we don't!

OP posts:
OtterMummy2024 · 26/10/2025 14:20

Other countries (mostly in Asia) vaccinate against HFM, I wish we would!

Original poster
DancingtoDisney · 26/10/2025 14:28

@OtterMummy2024 no way! I wish we did!!

OP posts:
nee22 · 26/10/2025 14:38

Difflam is a numbing spray for mouth/throat that might help keep fluids /food going in. HFM is horrendous in my experience

Original poster
DancingtoDisney · 26/10/2025 15:30

@nee22 thank you, the GP did mention this on the phone but said a prescription would be needed because of her age. Didn't offer one though! I'll see how we go tonight (already have night time dread!!) and if it continues I'll be getting her in first thing tomorrow. It really is awful, we naively thought she'd not suffer too bad as eldest wasn't too poorly... Definitely not the case this time around

OP posts:
Original poster
DancingtoDisney · 26/10/2025 19:55

Can I ask, those who said their DCs suffered particularly badly, was the rash all over? Our DDs rash has worsened as the day has gone on and it's almost everywhere bar her chest and back!!

OP posts:
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